Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain revealed that the Reds took a “risk” in handing him a new contract back in August 2019, and the England international was determined to repay that considerable show of faith over the next few months.
Liverpool invested heavily in former Arsenal star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain when luring him to Anfield in a reported £35 million ($44m) deal during the summer of 2017.
There were signs of early promise at Anfield when Oxlade Chamberlain was making strides at his new club but the 26-year-old’s debut campaign was to be brought to an abrupt and unfortunate halt in April 2018 when he suffered a serious knee injury during a Champions League clash against AS Roma.
The ‘Ox’ spent 12 months stuck on the sidelines in rehab but battled his way through injury and performances to earn favour with Jurgen Klopp once again. His dedication and ability towards improving was then rewarded with a fresh new contract, a further two-year extension to his initial deal.
By his own admission, the dynamic midfielder revealed that Liverpool took a calculated gamble on him by extending his association with the club, and he will be forever grateful for showing their faith in him at a time when it was a high-risk situation.
While speaking to the club’s official website, Oxlade-Chamberlain explained that it was a big moment upon returning from injury and Liverpool’s risky contract offer meant a lot towards him, “It was another big moment for me. It was really exciting for me, obviously coming off the back of an injury; we were talking for a while if that was the thing we were going to do and coming to an agreement on that meant a lot to me.”
The England star further added that he would forever be grateful to Liverpool for showing their trust and belief during a difficult time, “To be at a club that supported me all the way through an injury like that, which for some it can be career-ruining or career-ending, to commit to an extension and a contract, probably at a time where maybe it was a bit of a risk or they had to put a lot of trust and faith in me as an athlete and a person, because after an injury like that no-one really knows how you’re going to come back, for the club to do that meant the absolute world to me.”
